Coyote

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Brenda
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This was in today's Ithaca Journal:

Dave Henderson: Research provides additional insight into local coyote issue

Paul Curtis, of Cornell's Cooperative Extension Department of Natural Resources, is participating in the coyote research project centered in Regions 8 and 3 and recently addressed the Region 8 Fish and Wildlife Management Board on the subject at a June 8 meeting.

The gist of Curtis' presentation was that we can expect the wild canines to live in our midst throughout the foreseeable future.

The animals are overcoming their natural fear of humans and are growing bolder in their relationship with people and human habitat, Curtis said.

In Region 8 (west of Cayuga Lake), there were 51 incident reports over the past year, and researchers are expecting that number to double by the next report. Once the incidents start, they accelerate rapidly.
Researchers are gathering information on range, diet and physical characteristics via a trap-and-track program that utilizes radio collars. Trapping coyotes is tedious because they learn quickly and adapt to avoid the traps. Similarly, they become conditioned to predator calls when hunted, and soon learn to be wary.

The coyote population in New York has grown steadily since the 1940s and Curtis said that the population's growth is mitigated only by food supply, natural enemies, and disease. Disease and enemies have not been significant factors in New York and habituation is thus influenced principally through food conditioning.

Feeding pets outdoors and leaving a food dish is an attractant. In addition, as urban sprawl moves into formerly wild habitat, small game will be attracted to bird feeders, gardens, etc., which in turn brings the predators. Unattended cats and dogs quickly become vulnerable. Accordingly, the coyotes learn quickly and adapt to and lose fear of the human presence.

Here are some facts that researchers have gleaned so far on New York's coyotes:

* A coyote's home range varies from 250 to 1,000 acres. One was found to range over 2,500 acres.

* Diet varies with the seasons and is analyzed by studying fecal matter and dens. Deer comprise up to 60 percent of a coyote's diet in only two months of the year — July and February. Speculation is deer are weakened in February and fawns become easy prey in July. It is not known, however, how much of the venison is from actual kills and how much is scavenged off road kills. On average the diet breaks down to 28 percent deer, 38 percent rabbits, 17 percent small mammals, 13 percent fruit and grass and 4 percent other mammals.

* Coyotes captured for tracking have weighed as much as 49 pounds for a male and 35 pounds for a female. A coyote killed last year in a Rochester suburb weighed in at 80 pounds.

* The DNA make up is being analyzed. However, across the northern tier of New York 20 percent of the genetic make up appears to be wolf and only 5 percent dog.

* An educated estimate of the New York population is more than 30,000. Offsetting the population and controlling the size would require an annual take through hunting and trapping of 80 percent. Current take is estimated at 28 percent.

For more information see http://www.nycoyote.org/.

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Last edited by Brenda on Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Matt
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A coyote killed last year in a Rochester suburb weighed in at 80 pounds.
:shock:
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Brenda
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He must have been well fed! :cat:
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cbobcat49
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Is this a coyote print? (I think it may be) I saw these down in Twenty Mile Creek in Ripley. There were no human prints anywhere near these, besides our own, so I don't think anyone was hiking down there with their dog.

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about how big was it? Could be either a coyote or a domestic dog. if it was really small, possibly a fox.
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About 2 1/2" from back to claw.
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Brenda
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Coyote tracks tend to follow a straight path across an open area where a dog will wander or follow features of the landscape. The pads on the rear feet of a coyote are smaller than on the front too. One thing to note is that the claws look quite long in your photo. A domestic dog's claws will be longer because they don't get the wear that a feral dog or coyote's would. Did you happen to get a shot of the pattern?
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Brenda
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I just came across this site while looking for more resources for tracks, because I tend to :frustrated: until I can identify something with absolute certainty: http://dirttime.ws/DirtTime.htm Perhaps this will help.
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